2011 Watchlist: LH Starters

Disclosure: Milone has been a favorite
since ’09. Back-to-back 12-win seasons
with nearly the same ERA has put him on
the prospect radar, even without a “plus”
pitch. Outstanding control (1.3BB/9) has
been his hallmark, but his best tool is
between his ears. Milone simply has the
knack of reading hitters and pounding
their weak spots, using a slow, deceptive
delivery and expertly mixing his arsenal
of fastball, cutter, curve and changeup.
Good fielder, holds runners, handles the
bat well.

Some folks call him Tom Milone II, but BA
compares him to John Lannan. Throws an
88-91 cutter that bedevils RHBs and a
“heavy” fastball to get groundouts and
features a decent curve. Struggled with his
breaking pitches late last season, but the
Lannan comp makes sense because once
he masters the changeup, he’ll be very
effective. Though he lacks Milone’s control
(most do), Rosenbaum is similar by the way
he get outs on pure guile. Likely to start
2011 at Harrisburg.

After an outstanding 2009 season in
Vermont (3-0, 0.55 in 49⅓ IP) as a reliever,
Bronson took a step backwards in 2010 as
a starter, splitting the season between
Potomac and Hagerstown (4.36 ERA
overall). Looking over the scorebooks, it
appears his days as a starter may be
numbered since he shows the classic
pattern of getting hit hard in the middle
innings, though he only failed to go five
innings four times in 16 starts. His 2011
placement could depend on which role the
Nats want him to fill.

McGeary is most famous for breaking the
15-year streak of Stanford keeping its HS
commitments from signing, one of the few
moves that Jim Bowden deserves credit for
by luring him away with a record $1.8M
bonus and a unique arrangement that saw
McGeary go to school full-time.
Admittedly, that status is a large part
of the reason he’s here as he’s likely to
spend most of 2011 in the GCL on rehab
from TJ surgey. Prior to his injury, he was
compared to Andy Pettitte with a plus curve.

Missed ’09 with a herniated disc, but
rebounded in ’10 with a 9-2, 3.42 season at
San Diego. Signed at the deadline for $1M
and pitched in the AFL with a 3.58 ERA over
27⅔ innings. Solis is big-bodied and
throws a low-90s fastball with late life,
a plus changeup, and a knuckle-curve from
a 3/4 arm slot, which some scouts believe
is better suited for a slider. Good
command, throws strikes, doesn’t get
fazed. Likely to start 2011 at Potomac,
finish at Harrisburg, arrive in DC by 2012.

A 2009 draft pick, Jenkins makes this list
due to his invite to the FIL, not his
mediocre results last summer in Vermont.
In college, Jenkins was both a starter and
a reliever, so it’s more than possible that
he could be headed back to the bullpen.
Throws both a two- and four-seam fastball
to go with a plus changeup and slider.

Like Jenkins, Grace makes this list because
of his invite to the FIL as well as the bump
up to Vermont (i.e. organization sees
something). Spent most of his time at UCLA
in the bullpen, where he was used as a lefty
specialist with success. Scouts believe he
simply needs innings to get better and
build strength.

Similar to A.J. Cole, Robbie Ray lost speed
on his fastball in the spring, dropping his
stock to the 12th round, despite tossing
three no-hitters in his senior h.s. season.
A $799K bonus undid his commitment to
Arkansas the day before the deadline. Ray’s
fastball was in the low-90s in the FIL,
which the Nats believe will pick up in speed
as he matures. His second pitch is a late-
fade changeup while his third pitch is a
sloppy slurve that needs work, which he’ll
get in XST before heading to Auburn.

The Nationals drafted Manno in both 2009
(38th Round) and 2010 (26th Round), and
after a campaign in the comments — as
well as a strong finish in the GCL — I
decided to include Manno and am
projecting that he’ll return to starting
as he did for Duke. Tall, rangy and noted
for his “funky” delivery that helps him
pile up the strikeouts (24 in 15IP in the
GCL; 217 in 186IP for Duke).

Sue The FIL should serve as guys that really need to work on specific things , for example it could be as simple as holding runners, or as complex as pitching mechanics. anyway the nats will recognize the higher pitching talent, but it takes time and guys like spin williams who is very good at what he does will see the cream rise to the top